Beyond Port Nanohana stretched a sweeping sea of desert hues—endless ochre and burnt gold, with not a single trace of green. The port was the sole oasis in the area, and while its architecture was rough-hewn and simple, the presence of real trees within its borders lent the place an unexpectedly refreshing air.
By the time the Chris Pirates arrived, it was already dusk. The blazing heat of the day had begun to retreat, replaced by the dry coolness of desert twilight. Not keen on aimless wandering, the crew made a beeline for a nearby restaurant.
Over two hundred hungry pirates poured in, and Aeridar didn't hesitate—he waved his hand grandly and booked the entire establishment on the spot. The owner, quickly recognizing the rough and rowdy clientele as pirates, dared not protest—especially not when he saw the generous stack of Berries in Aeridar's hand. With a forced smile, he ordered the kitchen to prepare a full banquet.
Though Gorbo's cooking aboard the ship was more than passable, they weren't about to pass up the chance to try the local cuisine. The meal was a raucous affair—dishes devoured with gusto, laughter ringing through the room. Some of the crew even ate so much they couldn't move afterward.
Despite being pirates, Aeridar wasn't the type to dine and dash. He paid the full bill before they moved on to a nearby inn called Tailwind, the largest in the area. After weeks at sea, even the simplest bed felt like heaven. It wasn't long before the rhythmic sound of snoring filled the inn.
The night passed without incident. The moon rose and fell.
By morning, the first rays of sunlight were creeping over the horizon.
Yawning, Aeridar rubbed his eyes as he descended from the second floor, trailed by the sleepy twin sisters Millie and Mina, who were still half-asleep, mumbling as they shuffled behind him.
"Oi, boss! Got any breakfast?" Aeridar called, flopping down on a wooden chair in the lobby.
"Right away, no problem," replied the short-statured innkeeper behind the front desk, who also ran the kitchen.
He didn't dare say no, either—not after what had happened the night before.
When Aeridar and his crew had stormed in reeking of alcohol, announcing that they were renting out the entire inn and demanding the other guests be kicked out, no one dared object. Well, almost no one.
A caravan guard captain had tried to protest the pirates' high-handedness. That ended in a brief but brutal scuffle where Backan single-handedly flattened over thirty guards. After that, not even those kicked out had the courage to argue. In a world ruled by strength, fists still spoke the loudest.
Aeridar glanced to the side—Millie and Mina were now both face-down on the table, fast asleep.
He sighed, black lines forming on his forehead. Just as he reached out to wake them—
A deafening explosion rocked the second floor, shaking the entire three-story inn down to its foundations.
"What the hell was that?!" Millie and Mina jolted awake, eyes wide in panic. They instinctively reached for their guns—only to realize they were still in their pajamas, unarmed.
"That idiot..." Aeridar's expression twitched as black smoke billowed from upstairs. He had a good idea who the culprit was.
"Damn it, it's way too early for this crap!"
"Wasting such a good Devil Fruit on an idiot like that... what a shame."
"Bastard! What the hell are you doing?! I'll kill you!"
"Arlan, you son of a—!!"
A string of angry curses followed as Arlan stumbled into the lobby—bare-chested, wearing cropped pants, and covered head to toe in soot. He was cradling his head as he tumbled down the stairs. A few slippers flew after him, presumably thrown by his fellow crewmates.
"Pah! Pah! Bastards, I swear I'll blow you all to hell one day..." Arlan spat out soot as he stomped across the lobby barefoot, ignoring Aeridar completely. He was heading outside, likely to wash off the grime.
But just as he flung the door open—
He crashed straight into someone entering from the outside.
The impact was so powerful that Arlan staggered back several steps. The other man—just as large—also reeled from the collision, knocking down several people behind him. Outside, a chorus of groans erupted.
"Ugh, what the hell...?"
"Damn it! Are you blind?!"
"Captain, get them off me! I'm getting crushed here!"
"Oof—guess I ran into someone," Arlan muttered, blinking.
"Shut up," Aeridar added unhelpfully, smirking from his seat.
Arlan shot him a glare, then turned back to the man he'd collided with. "Sorry, sorry. My bad. But would you mind stepping aside? I need to get through."
The man was huge—well over two meters tall, with a square jaw and a hooked nose that reminded Aeridar of Oliver. His expression was dark and unreadable. Five deep claw scars ran down his right cheek like a beast had once raked its talons across his face. He wore traditional Alabasta garb, a long ebony case slung across his back—over a meter in length and clearly old. Behind him stood over a dozen equally tall, intimidating men.
Aeridar's eyes narrowed slightly. That look in his eyes... cold, detached. Another killer, he thought. Pirate, maybe...
"Hey, bastard! You just ran into our captain—do you have a death wish?" one of the thugs near the door barked, stepping forward in a long coat.
"That's right! You think you can just walk away after bumping into Flyshot—Copra, a pirate with a seventy million Beri bounty? You better kneel and apologize... and cough up a few million for damages while you're at it!"
The man sneering beside him carried a rifle. So did the three others who stepped forward—all mean-looking men with murderous auras.
Aeridar couldn't help but laugh as Arlan got berated. "A few million Berries, huh? You got that kind of cash? Better pay up!"
But inwardly, Aeridar was a little surprised. He had read about Flyshot Copra in the papers—a notorious rookie pirate from the South Blue. One of the most infamous newcomers this year. Robbed multiple towns, killed on a whim, massacred civilians, and even sank four Marine warships, destroying an entire Marine outpost in the process. A seventy-million Beri bounty—and he earned it.
Arlan's face darkened at Aeridar's jab. Like hell I've got that kind of money! All the cash is with Dimitri—he's the ship's treasurer!
"You idiots blind or just stupid? Didn't you see the notice outside? This inn's been fully booked. That means this is private property—so get lost!" Arlan barked, thoroughly pissed off now.
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my ——— (.)com/JuanFiction [remove the parentheses ( )]
There are over 100 advance Chapters available for you!
For every 200 PS = 1 extra Chapter.